President Bola Tinubu has declared data as “the new oil,” emphasising its critical role in governance and Nigeria’s global standing.

He announced a directive for all ministries, departments, and agencies to capture, safeguard, and responsibly release data to drive public value and facilitate international benchmarking.

This strategic emphasis on data comes as Galaxy Backbone launches its 1Government Cloud Academy, an initiative designed to equip civil servants with the essential digital skills for Nigeria’s transition to a paperless public sector.

According to a statement from Galaxy Backbone on Wednesday, the set up of the academy is a strategic move to advance Nigeria’s transition to a paperless civil service and enhance communication across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.

The announcement was a key highlight of the 2025 International Civil Service Conference in Abuja, attended by President Tinubu, members of the Federal Executive Council, the diplomatic community, industry leaders, and civil servants.

In his opening remarks, President Tinubu reinforced the strategic significance of data, describing it as “the new oil.”

He clarified that unlike traditional oil, data’s value appreciates with refinement and responsible utilisation.

The President mandated all MDAs to diligently capture and safeguard data under the Nigerian Data Protection Act (2023), and to release it in ways that generate public value, ensuring strict adherence to international data privacy standards.

“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets locally and share them globally. This will enable international benchmarking and strengthen Nigeria’s standing on the world stage,” he stated.

He further emphasised the need for data sovereignty and privacy to be rigorously protected within local and allied data centers.

Galaxy Backbone’s new 1Government Cloud Academy aims to train selected civil servants and public sector stakeholders in technical tools crucial for successful digital transformation.

This move is a strategic step towards advancing Nigeria’s digital public service and improving communication across MDAs.

The Programme Director of the 1Government Cloud initiative, Mr. Wumi Oghoetuoma, while speaking on a panel at the event, underscored the paramount importance of trust and understanding in the successful adoption of digital tools.

“Many digital solutions have failed not because they were ineffective, but because users didn’t trust or fully understand them,” Oghoetuoma noted.

He lauded the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for her decisive reform efforts in public sector digitalization, highlighting that the academy’s training encompasses both technical competencies and vital soft skills for transformation.

The 1Government Cloud Academy will serve as a central hub for training and certifying government personnel, particularly ECM Project Managers.

These civil servants are selected as “transformation champions” within their departments, acting as in-house digital guides to help colleagues overcome initial challenges and build confidence in new tools.

“This approach builds trust, improves usability, and encourages widespread adoption across MDAs,” Oghoetuoma explained, adding, “Many tools are abandoned not because they don’t work, but due to lack of communication and internal support.”

Oghoetuoma pointed out that even basic issues, like poor WiFi connectivity, often remain unresolved because ministry staff fail to engage with their IT departments, and those departments, in turn, don’t escalate the issues to Galaxy Backbone.

“This silent communication breakdown creates a false perception that the system is broken, when in reality, it’s an unreported or unresolved issue,” he said.

To tackle this, the academy is also offering specialized certification courses for IT departments to boost responsiveness and cross-functional collaboration.

He stressed that the challenge isn’t a lack of digital literacy, as most civil servants are proficient with smartphones and social media. Instead, it’s a matter of “mindset, motivation, and ongoing support.”

Oghoetuoma emphasized, “Digital transformation hinges on people, processes, and technology.”

He concluded, “With strong personnel and well-documented processes already in place, the missing link is often technology adoption, and the glue that holds it all together is communication. Sustainable digitalisation in the public sector requires making people feel like active participants, not passive users.”

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, highlighted that Nigeria’s digital reforms as a model for other nations.

She cited the automation of processes through the Enterprise Content Management system, the introduction of a Performance Management System, and the deployment of ServiceWise GPT, which aligns individual roles with national priorities.

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, commended Nigeria’s reform agenda under President Tinubu, stating,“

These are bold and necessary steps for long-term development.”

He underscored that the success of these reforms hinges on efficient service delivery and integrity within the civil service.

•Olumide Iyanda

QEDNG, the renowned online newspaper published by Mighty Media Plus Network Limited, has announced the launch of the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit.

This groundbreaking event will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the prestigious Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

With the theme “Financing as Catalysts for a Thriving Creative Economy,” the summit will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and emerging talents, to discuss strategies for accelerating growth in Nigeria’s creative sector.

Olumide Iyanda, founder and chief executive officer of Mighty Media Plus Network Limited, highlighted the vision behind the summit:

“At QEDNG, we are committed to fostering creativity, credible journalism, and human capital development.

This summit serves as a platform to address critical challenges and unlock the vast potential of Nigeria’s creative economy.

”Nigeria’s creative sector, comprising film, music, art, fashion, advertising and digital media, contributes significantly to the country’s GDP and cultural identity.

However, it faces barriers such as limited funding, technological deficits, and sustainability issues.

The summit will tackle these challenges by exploring innovative funding solutions, fostering partnerships between creatives and investors, and providing tools for effective financial management.

It will also serve as a space for collaboration between creatives, industry leaders, and policymakers to drive sustainable growth.

The event is open to a wide range of participants, including artists, filmmakers, musicians, designers, academics, and financial institutions.

It promises to provide attendees with valuable insights and opportunities to build meaningful connections within the industry.

The strategic economic and fiscal reforms of the Kogi State Government have begun to yield fruitful results, with the state now ranked as having the 5th lowest domestic debt among the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), according to the latest figures released by the Debt Management Office (DMO) as of March 31, 2025.

The report shows that Kogi State’s domestic debt stands at ₦20.38 billion, marking a significant drop from the ₦121.81 billion recorded in Q4 of 2023, when the state ranked 18th lowest in the country.

This reflects a remarkable debt reduction of over ₦101.43 billion in just over one fiscal quarter.

Speaking on the achievement, the State Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Asiru Idris, attributed the success to the state’s aggressive implementation of global best practices in financial management, including prudent borrowing, enhanced revenue performance, and strategic expenditure control.

“We are deliberate in our financial approach, cutting waste and focusing on impactful spending. This improvement is not accidental; it is the result of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s transparent , accountable and reform-minded leadership,” he said.

Also speaking, the Auditor General of the State, Alhaji Yakubu Okala, said Kogi’s improved debt standing is evidence of transparency and effective oversight.

“We ensure that all government funds are deployed strictly for their intended purposes. His Excellency’s accounting background has brought a culture of accountability and efficiency to every level of government. Our systems now deliver more results with fewer resources,” he said.

Alhaji Okala commended Governor Ododo’s unwavering support for fiscal institutions, saying the Governor has not only backed reforms but insisted on compliance and value-for-money across all MDAs.

Both the Commissioner of Finance and the Auditor General of the State agreed that the results are products of the hard work by the finance team in the last administration and the consolidation of the present administration in the State to ensure that the resources of the state serve for the people of the State.

They also attribute improved revenue to the reduced need for domestic borrowing, saying the State Government is conveniently funding a good number of capital projects in the State.

In a related development, the Kogi State Government says it has acquired licenses to fully participate in solid minerals mining in the State in a bold move to diversify the state’s economy and expand its revenue base.

The State Government confirmed that it has acquired 15 mining licenses to begin strategic participation in the nation’s solid minerals sector.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, who said the move was driven by the government’s resolve to ensure that Kogites benefit directly from the natural resources on their land.

“With these licenses, Kogi will now take its rightful place in the mining sector, not just as a host but as an active operator. This will unlock value, create jobs for our teeming youth, and grow our internally generated revenue,” Fanwo stated.

He also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government’s support and the policy framework that now enables subnational entities to participate more directly in mining and resource development.

“This is a major economic breakthrough for our state. We thank Mr. President for enabling states like Kogi to take charge of their destiny. Governor Ododo’s leadership is positioning Kogi not just for today, but for a prosperous, resource-driven future,” Fanwo added.

He assured that the licenses would be put to use through environmentally responsible and community-focused mining initiatives that will stimulate industrial growth and promote local content development.

With the twin achievements of improved debt ranking and entry into strategic mining operations, Kogi State is fast becoming a national model in fiscal sustainability and economic diversification.